12. 4. 2026
The Legend That (Did Not) Preserve Polyphony
Stille Antico Will Open the festival
A famous music-historical myth is associated with the Missa Papae Marcelli: Palestrina’s Mass is said to have persuaded the church authorities at the Council of Trent not to ban polyphony from sacred spaces. The story is uncertain at best, but the music itself certainly supports the story: in the Credo which we perform this evening, Palestrina ensures that the words remain audible at all times, despite the rich six-part scoring.
The Credo from Palestrina’s masterful work will be performed by the London ensemble Stile Antico, whose recordings appear among the best-selling classical albums and have received numerous awards, including the Gramophone Award for Early Music, the Diapason d’Or de l’Année, and the Edison Klassiek Award. The ensemble has also received three Grammy nominations.
Legendae sanctorum
Veneration of the Saints in Renaissance Polyphony
Thursday 16. 7. 2026 | 20.00
The Church of Our Lady and Slavic Saints
Vyšehradská 49/320, Prague 1
An ensemble of breathtaking freshness, vitality and balance.
New York Times
Stile Antico is passionate about sharing its repertoire and working style with the widest possible audience. The ensemble directs regular summer courses and Come and Sing days, leads intensive classes Youth Consort for talented young singers, and is a proud member of the European early music network REMA.
Stile Antico also seeks to bring the works of Renaissance masters closer to audiences online. In 2023, the ensemble prepared a video series marking the 400th anniversary of William Byrd’s death: in monthly episodes, individual singers take turns exploring Byrd’s repertoire—focusing on a specific piece, its text, and its historical context.
The programme of the festive opening concert explores the legends of the saints: those great men and women of faith who have inspired Christians over the centuries. In the doctrine of the medieval Church, the saints were seen not only as role models of pious Christian living, but as instruments of divine power. They were believed to be able to work miracles even after their deaths, and to intercede with God on behalf of the living. Their relics were held to have supernatural powers, and pilgrimage to their shrines could lead to spiritual blessings. The concert will include works sung in honour of St. James, St. Andrew, St. Cecilia, St. Catherine, and St. Francis of Assisi, the 800th anniversary of whose death will be marked in 2026.
